350 Hindu houses attacked in Dinajpur
Jamaat-Shibir men went on a rampage on Hindu community members in Kornai village under Dinajpur Sadar upazila immediately after a couple of hours after Sunday’s voting ended. Local people said at least 350 houses and 50 shops of Pritampara, Shahapara, Profullahpara, Telipara, Madhabpara and Ajaypara vicinities of Kornai village were damaged, looted and set on fire during the rampage. The attackers also vandalised a temple in the village.
They said around 2,000 Jamaat-Shibir men, armed with sharp weapons and sticks, swooped on the Hindu villagers around 6pm, injured them and looted valuables belonging to them.
Allegedly, the Hindu people were attacked indiscriminately just for going to local polling centers to cast their votes.
Since the attack, male and female members of the Hindu community fled the village and they are yet to return to their houses. Jagannath Roy, a victim, claimed that they were attacked just for going to the polling centres.
A presiding officer seeking anonymity said, “There was a daylong panic in the area as Jamaat-Shibir men tried to resist the voters from coming to the polling centers”.
“It was the army who rescued these people from a severe attack,” said Jesmin Ara Josna, an Awami League-backed Vice-chairman of Dinajpur sadar upazila parishad.
She also said, “I called Dinajpur Sadar UNO and the superintendent of police (SP) but none of them responded positively”.
SP Ruhul Amin said all the police personnel were busy discharging election duty and that’s why the law enforcers could not reach the spot on the polling day. “We are planning to set up a police camp there.”
Our correspondent, during a visit to the area, found a trail of destruction by Jamaat-Shibir men in the area.
Iqbalur Rahim, elected lawmaker from Dinajpur-3 constituency, visited the area.
Earlier yesterday, masked miscreants went on a rampage, torching and vandalising 24 houses of Hindu community members in Chengutia village of Abhaynagar upazila of Jessore.
Police and victims said the attackers were the members of Jamaat and Shibir. Asim Sirkar, vice president of Chapatala Krishi Shamabaya Samity, said, “We came under attack as we voted for boat”.
Courtesy of The Independent
